ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul used her 2026 State of the State address on Tuesday to frame affordability as New York’s defining challenge, pledging action on household costs tied to utilities, childcare, and housing.

“New Yorkers deserve a state where they can raise a family, keep the lights on, and stay rooted in the communities they love,” Hochul said during the address. She said her administration is focused on “lowering the costs that hit working families the hardest—childcare, energy, and housing.”

Assemblymember Paula Kay, who represents Sullivan County as part of the 100th Assembly District, expressed support for Hochul’s plan. 

“I support Governor Hochul’s goal of reducing energy costs and protecting households from rising utility bills,” Kay said in a written statement. “Expanding targeted utility assistance and strengthening consumer protections can help ensure that low- and middle-income New Yorkers keep their homes warm and powered without sacrificing other necessities.”

Kay noted that the governor’s address did not specify how those proposals would be carried out. “The State of the State speech did not give any specifics as to how the governor was going to accomplish these initiatives,” she said. “I intend to find out.”

Childcare was also featured prominently in Hochul’s remarks, with the governor calling for expanded access and affordability statewide. Kay said the issue has direct economic consequences locally.

“As a mother, I know firsthand that childcare costs are one of the biggest financial burdens facing working families,” Kay said. “We need to expand childcare subsidies, especially here in the 100th Assembly District, so more families qualify for assistance and receive higher levels of support, reducing out-of-pocket costs.”

As recently reported in the Democrat, childcare assistance funding has been paused in Sullivan County and more than 30 counties across the state due to a lack of funding from New York State. 

Housing affordability formed a third major pillar of Hochul’s address. The governor called for cutting regulatory delays and giving municipalities greater flexibility to build housing, arguing that lengthy approval processes add cost and slow development. Hochul also referenced state investment in affordable housing and manufactured homes as part of that effort.

Kay said workforce housing shortages are well known in Sullivan County and said she plans to fight for local access to the proposed funding.

“I intend to make sure that the 100th Assembly District secures our rightful share of that funding by continuing to work with local nonprofits and developers,” Kay said.

State Sen. Peter Oberacker, whose district includes Sullivan County, offered a more critical response in a statement released after the address.

“During her State of the State address, Governor Hochul spoke about affordability. I guess that’s something,” Oberacker said. “But after years of rising costs and families leaving New York, words just aren’t enough.”

Oberacker said New York’s affordability challenges have worsened under current policies.

“New York’s affordability crisis is real, and it’s sending our fellow New Yorkers to more affordable states,” he said, calling the problem “man-made and therefore reversible.”

As the proposals advance toward state budget proceedings, the impact on Sullivan County will hinge on how much flexibility municipalities receive and whether funding for utilities, childcare, and housing reaches rural communities like those here in Sullivan County.